Andrus was arrested in New Orleans on Nov. 7 of that year on an unrelated aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon charge. Investigators said he confessed to the shootings.

His trial began Thursday.

Norma Diaz testified her 31-year-old husband was shot in the parking lot, while he waited for her to run into the grocery to buy a carton of milk. Steve Bui and his 49-year-old wife were driving to the grocery to buy items to bake a cake when a man shot at their car three times. She died on the way to the hospital, her husband told the court.

During the punishment phase of the trial, witnesses testified of Andrus' violent history, Fort Bend County prosecutor Thomas Pfeiffer said. Three Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies, two Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office deputies and several victims of aggravated robbery testified that Andrus had assaulted them, he said.

"One of the things the jury looks at is whether he will be a continuing threat to society," Pfeiffer said. "It was an easy answer that he would be."

Defense attorney James "Sid" Crowley said Andrus admitted to being on PCP and cocaine at the time of the shooting. Crowley hoped the jury would come back with a life sentence, rather than the death penalty.

He said jurors heard testimony that Andrus had a somewhat dysfunctional home life. Andrus' mother and father testified during the trial, Crowley said.

"I'm not surprised given all the evidence available to the state," Crowley said of the jury's decision. "It was pretty overwhelming."